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G. T. PEARSONS.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 1,1916.

1323992. Patented Dec. 2,1919.

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stones r. PEABSONS, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Application filed July 1, 1916. Serial No. 107,025.

guishing liquid contained in a tank or reservoir is discharged therefrom by gas pressure generated in a generator in the tank produced by the reaction of the admixing of gas generating materials normally. maintained in a separated conditionin the tank and free from theliqui-d in the tank, audit is an object of the invention to provide improved means to maintain the gas generating materials in a separated condition in the generator in the normal and inoperative position of the extinguisher.

It is a further object of the invention; to provide improved means to at all times connect the outlet of the reservoir with the liquid in the lowermost. part of the reservoir no matter in what position the outlet of the reservoir may be.

- In this type of fire extinguisher the expelling agent or gas is generated by the admixing of as generating materials nor.-

' mally held in a separated condition in a enerator in the reservoir, the said generator having an outlet leading into therese-rvoir. usually closed by a spring check valve opening outward generator, and to prevent leakage of the fire extinguishing liquid from the reservoir, the reservoir outlet is also usually provided with a spring check valve opening -into and closing outward from the reservoir. The use of such check valves is objectionable as corrosion takes place between the valve and its seat with the result that the valve becomes fixed to its seat, or it is not readily unseated, by the pressures within the reservoir when it is desired to use the same. It is a further object of the invention to obviate the necess'ty of check Valves and to secure a fragile leaf tothe outlets of the generator and reservoir to seal the sectional side elevation of a from and closing into the extinguisher and prevent entrance of the llquid into the generator through'the generator outlet, but it will be readily punctured or ruptured by any undiue pressure in the generator or reservoir to open the outlets. In the drawing accompanying and formmg a part of this specification Fi ure 1 is a re extinguisher showing an embodiment of my invent on.

F g. 2 1s a perspective view; partly in section, of the outlet means for the generator with the sealingme'ans applied thereto and lEig. 3 is a sectional detail of the outlet meansfor the reservoir.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the different views of vided a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid, such as carbon tetchlorid, preferably consisting of a cylindrical body portion 4 closed at one end, to constitute the top, by a head 5 fixed to the body portion and having an opening closed by a removable cover 6 having an inwardly extending ro ection 16, and a bottom 7 fixed to the body portion i to close said end and preferably constructed in the form of a standard upon'which to support the extinguisher. The fire extinguishing liquid is expelled from the reservoir by a suitable agent, such as a gas generated by means in a generatorin the reservoir, consisting of a receptacle 8 having screw threaded connection with the cover 6 to close and suspend the receptacle in the reservoir. The lower end of the receptacle is cone-shaped and has an outlet tube 9 leading into the reservoir.

A receptacle 10 having an open upper end for a gas generating material is supported in the receptacle 8 at a point adjacent the juncture of the cone-shaped portion with the body of the receptacle 8 to provide a space between the bottoms of the two receptacles. The receptacle- 10 is of less width than the receptacle 8 to provide a space between the lateral walls of the receptacles, and the receptacle 10 is main- 'tained centrally by laterally projecting lugs 13 abutting against the lnner side of the receptacle 8.

A third receptacle 14 of fragile material, such as glass, and entirely closed, for another gas generating material, such as suL furic or hydrochloric acid, is supported in the receptacle 10 and has an annular contracted and'thinned ortion, as at 15, ad acent the bottom of said receptacle, but

- which in use will be uppermost in the normal position of the extinguisher, as shown.

The receptacle 10 has an inwardly extend the flange 17 to cooperate with thecontracted portion of the bottle 14 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The receptacle 10 above the receptacle 14 as supplied with the other gas generating material, such as bicarbonate of soda. In operation, as stated, the extinguisher is inverted when the bicarbonate of soda w111 fall into the upper part of the receptacle 8,

and the bottle 14 will drop and the end or bottom with the contracted and thinned portion will strike against the cover projection .16, the impact of the receptacle 14 against said projection breaking said receptacle at the thinned portion when the acid will flow therefrom and admix with material is placed in the cone-shaped portion of the receptacle 8 through which the gas passes, the said material absorbing or neutralizing any moisture or acid in said gas. A screen 12 may be provided at the 'uncture of the cone-shaped portion with the ody of the receptacle 8, which may serve as the support for the receptacle 10 and which prevents the filtering material from dropping onto the reacting materials in the upper ortion of the enerator when the extinguis er is inverte To prevent the gas from expelling any of the absorbing or acid neutralizing material throu h the out let tube 9 and from choking said tube the inner end of the tube is closed and the lateral walls perforated. The bottle 14 is made of a size to readily clear the annular flange 17 However, should the extinguisher be supported on its side said flange will en-' gage in the contracted portion of the bottle 14 and prevent the bottle from sliding and abutting against the cover projection 16 and the consequent breakage thereof.

To maintain the gas generating and absorbing materials in the generator free from the liquid in the tank or reservoir the open end of the tube 9 is sealed and closed by a I sure and permit said gas to enter into the reservoir. This seal and closure consists of a leaf 17 of fragile material, such as tin foil or thelike, secured and carried between a pair of washers 18, 19 removably connected to the tube 9 by a perforated cap 20.

This type of fire extinguisher is set in operation b merely inverting the extinguisher. owever, in use it invariably happens that the extinguisher is held with the discharge outlet in different positions, and to permit of this universal use of the extinguisher, means are provided to at all times connect the discharge outlet of the reservoir with the liquid in the lowermost 'part ofthe reservoir. For this purpose the reservoir outlet is located in a tubular por; tion 21 in the bottom to which is connected a nozzle 22 extending laterally and through an opening in the bottom of the 7. 7 To connect said outlet at all times with the liquid in the lowermost part of the reservoir I secure in said outlet a flexible metallic intake, such as is commonly termed flexible metallic hose. This intake consists of a portion 23 fixed to the outlet 21. Connected to the tube 23 by a coupling 24 are flexible metallic tubes 25, 26, similar to the tube 23, with the free or intake ends lying adjacent the side and opposite ends of the reservoir. The coupling-24 will be of sufiicient weight to fiex the tube 23 to cause the tubes 25, 26 to lie adjacent the sides of the reservoir. The tube 23 is also sufficiently flexible to permit the coupling with the connected tubes 25, 26 to be swung and oscillated about the outlet 21 as as axis, and when the extinguisher is in an upright position the ends of the tubes 25, 26 will assume a position ad%acent the to and bottom of the reservoir.

t .'s essentia that when the extinguisher is in an inverted position that communication between the tubes 26 and 23 be shut off, otherwise the gas will be expelled through said tubes and will not exert any force upon the liquid in the reservoir to expel the same, or that the tube 25 be shut oif from the tube 23 should the extinguisher be restored to an upright position for the same purpose. To shut off the tubes 25 and '26 from the tube 23 and to connect either of them thereto when the extinguisher is either in an upright or inverted position, valve mechanism is provided consisting of a air oflvalves 27 and-28 connected by a ro 29 cooperating with valve seats 30, 31 at opposite ends of the coupling 24.

To prevent the weight of the coupling 24 ml" 5, L iaisher gu and tubes 25, 26 from flexing the tube 23 too greatly with the result that the tubes 25, 26 would engage with the top or bottompf the reservoir, depending upon the position of the extinguisher and shutting off the flow of the liquid thereinto, and to guide the tubes and permit them to assume variable positions adjacent the side of the reservoir and about the longitudinal axis of the reservoir there is provided a pair of annular guide rails 34, 35 carried by supporting rods 36, 37, these guides engaging with the curved portions of the coupling 24: adjacent to where it is connected to the tube 28. Further guide rails 84 and 35 are provided for the engagement of the tubes 25, 26 at a point between the ends.

Leakage and evaporation of the fire extinguishing liquid through the outlet nozzle 22 is prevented by a leaf seal 32, similar to the seal 17 for the generator outlet, removably connected to the nozzle by a perforated cap 83.

Having thus claim 1. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir having an outlet, of an intake for the reservoir outlet comprising flexible metallic tubing connected to the outlet having inlets in free ends lying adjacent opposite ends, and means to maintain the free ends adjacent the side of the reservoir and permit said free ends to assume different positions, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a fire extinguisher, the combination with a reservoir having an outlet in one end, of an intake for the reservoir outlet comprising a flexible tube secured to the outlet, and flexible metallic branch tubes connected to the first tube with their ends lying adj acent the side and opposite ends of the reservoir; and an annular guide for said branch tubes, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having a discharge outlet and an opening in said reservoir; a removable cover for the opening having an inwardly extendingprojection; and a generator comprising a receptacle suspended in the reservoir from the cover to carry a dry gas generating material and having an outlet leading into the reservoir, and a second receptacle of fragile material for an acid movably supported in the first receptacle and adapted to come in contact with the cover projection when the extinis inverted, said receptacle having an annular contracted and thinned portion adjacent one end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a fire extinguisher, the combination of a reservoir for a fire extinguishing liquid having a discharge outlet and an opening described my invention I in said reservoir; a removable cover for the opening having aninwardly extending projection; a receptacle suspended in the reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; an open end receptacle for a gas generating material supported in the first receptacle; a sealed fragile receptacle in the open end receptacle to contain another gas generating material free from the first gas generating material, said latter receptacle adapted to assume a position in the lower part of the open end receptacle in the upright position of the extinguisher and to abut against the cover projection when the extlnguisher is inverted to rupture said receptacle and said first receptacle suspended from the cover being arranged to carry another material between the open end receptacle and the outlet of the first receptacle through which the gas is passed before it passes 1nto the reservoir substantially as and 'for the purpose specified.

5. In a fire extinguisher the combination of a reservoir to contain a fire extinguishing liquid havinga discharge outlet; and a gas generator, comprising a receptacle for a gas generating material suspended in the reservo r having an outlet leading into the reservoir, an abutment extending into said receptacle, and a second receptacle of fragile mater al to contain another gas generating materlal movably supported in the first receptacle, said receptacle adapted to assume-a positlon in the lower part of the first receptacle in the upright position ofthe extlnguisher and to come in contact with the abutment when the extinguisher is invert- .ed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a fire extinguisher the combination of areservoir to contain a fire extinguishing liquid and having-a discharge outlet; a receptacle to contain a gas generating material suspended in the reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; an abutment extending into said receptacle; a sealed fragile receptacle movably supported in the first receptacle to contain a gas generating material in a separated condition and free from the material in the first receptacle, said sealed receptacle being adapted to assume a position in the lower part of the first receptaclein the upright position of the extinguisher and to come in contact with the abutment When the extinguisher is inverted, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7 In a fire extinguisher the combination of a reservoir to contain a fire extinguishing liquid and having a discharge outlet; a receptacle to contain a gas generating material suspended in the reservoir having an outlet leading into the reservoir; an abutment extending into said receptacle; a sealed fragile receptacle movably supported in the first receptacle to contain a gas generating mate rial in a separated condition and free from the gas generating material in the first receptacle, said sealed receptacle being adapted to assume a position in the lower part of the first receptacle in the upright position of the extinguisher and to come in contact-with the abutment when the extinv guisher is inverted to break said receptacle GEO. T, PEARSON S. 

